Rotary valve for internal-combustion engines.



. H. .0. WITWER. .ROTARY VALVE Fon INTERNAL Go-Mus'rlon BNGvNES,

APAPLIOATION FILED A 1' n 29,191 11 A Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

removed permits of filling the upper end of the casing G with oil to lubricate a worm wheel N secured on the upper end of thevalve stem H3 and in mesh' with a worm N secured on a worm shaft N2 passing through the upper portion of the valve casing Gand its cap G. It is understood that the shaft N2 carries the several worms N in mesh with the worm wheels N for the several valves H controlling the admission and exhaust to the four cylinders of the engine, and on one end of the worm shaft N2 is Secured a sprocket wheel O connected by a sprocket chain O with a sprocket wheel O2 on the crank shaft D, so that when the engine is running each valve H is rotated once for every two revolutions of the crank' shaft D.

The top of the thrust cap L is preferably recessed for the reception of a spring P bearing against the under side of the worm wheel N, so as o hold the upper port-ion of the valve H in yroper engagement wit-h the hub L of the cap L.

The operation is as follows: When the l engine 1s running the severalvalves/H areA rotated so that the pistons in the several cylinders are given successive impulses, and each valve H is rotated once for .every two revolutions of the crank shaft D, so that the port H2 moves in register at the proper time with the inlet chamber I and the exhaust chamber J, to insure proper drawing in of the explosive mixture into the cylinder, compression of the mixture, ignition of the compressed mixture and exhaust of the-products of combustion, as will be readily understood. The cylinders A, their cylinder heads F and valve casings G are provided with suitable water jackets, and the sprocket wheels O, O2 and sprocket chain O are inclosed in a housing Q.

By providing a A continuously rotating valve and driving the same positively from the crank shaft of the engine, the valve functions properly at all speeds, especially as the valve is provided with but one port 'which answers for both the admission of the explosive mixture and the exhaust of the products of combustion. It will also be noticed that by the arrangement described, leakage of the explosive mixture especially during `fort the compression stroke of the pistons B is reduced to a minimum.

It will be noticed that the recess H of the valve H communicates directly with the Working chamber ofthe cylinder by extending the valve casing G and the valve H through the cylinder head F, and hence the piston B is permitted to move on the upstroke into close proximity to the cylinder head F.

In rder to obtain the necessary capacity working or explosion chamber, the

under surface of the head F and the upper face of the piston B are made concave, to form a spherical explosion or working chamber, and by having the piston B moving into close proximity to 'the cylinder head F, the water-cooled cylinder walls are excluded from presenting any surface to the explosion chamber.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by'Letters Patent:

' 1. An internal combustion engine, provided with a rotary valve having in one end a recess opening at all times into the working chamber of the engine cylinder, the valve having a single port at its side, opening into the said recess, a valve casing for the said rotary valve to turn in, having an inlet chamber and an exhaust chamber with which the said valve port is adapted to successively register, and a thrust cap within the casing, having an annular rib projecting inwardly and engaging in fluid-tight relation Within a corresponding annular groove formed in the outer end of the valve.

2. An internal combustion engine, provided With a rotary valve having in one end a recess opening at all times into the working chamber of the engine cylinder, the valve having a single port at its side, opening into the said recess, a valve casing for the said rotary valve to turn in, the .casing having an inlet chamber and an exhaust chamber with which the said valve port is adapted to successively register, a thrust cap within the casing having a projecting portion engaging aportion of one end of the said valve in fluid-tight relation, whereby to maintain the major portions of said thrust cap and said valve end in spaced relation, the said valve having a small port leading from its recess to the space thus formed between the valve and thrust cap.

3. An internal combustion engine provided with a rotary valve having in one end a recess opening at all times into the work- '110 ing chamber of the engine cylinder, the valve.

having a single port at itsside opening intog."-

the said recess, a valve casing for the said rotary valve to turn in having an inlet chamber and an exhaust chamber With which the said valve port is adapted to successively register, a thrust cap secured within the casing, a stem projecting from one end of the said valve and extending through a bearing in said thrust cap, a member secured upon the stem upon the opposite side of the thrust cap to said valve, saidthrust cap having an annular' recess in its outer face surrounding its said bearing and an annular rib uponlits inner face surrounding the bearing and projecting inwardly into fluid-tight engagement within a corresponding annular groove formed in the outer end or the va 1ve, and a spring seated in the said4 name to specification in the preseneeof --.thr1st ca), recei, and bearing agalilnst the 'i-,Wosubscribing witnesses.- f sai "mem er W 'c is secured on t e va ve v v stem, for the purposeof maintaining the HARVEY 5 Huid-tight erigagement'between the thrust 'Witnessem c'ap rib and the valve groove. I.' M. CIEMENS In testimony whereof I `have signed 4my VAJOHN 

